Need Your Input - Watts Link

[jww36]

A newbie (sort of) needs some tech help. As I have previously mentioned my failures in the design and fabrication of my panard rod for my '34 roadster (it had a slight "hinge" effect in the middle), I have turned away from panard rod and am going to a watts link. It will be located off the front of the quick change. My QC is offset to the right, but I will build brackets for the center vertical pivot offset so watts link will have equal length horizontal bars.
My question - I am a big proponent of mocking things up. I started with 5" distance between rod ends on the vertical pivot and realized the pivot turns very little with 1" up and down movement. I then shortened the pivot to 4.5" distance between rod ends, and finally down to 4" between rod ends. At 4", the vertical pivot rotated less then 2 degrees. Does this look correct, or am I missing something in my mock up.

[jww36]

Following pics show the different rotation of vertical link. 1st at 5" center to center. Then 4.5" C to C, then 4" C to C.

[jww36]

4.5" C to C

[johnneilson]

I wouldn't expect to see much rotation in the center link.
Think about this, a lot of road race watts links are laid horizontal under the housing.

The center distance doesn't matter between the side links, beside being parallel (static pos) and equal length.
The issue becomes the strength of the center bearing and mounting.

Placement of the center bearing (height) is also important to roll center and thus roll axis.

J

[Stainless1]

I wouldn't expect to see much rotation in the center link.
Think about this, a lot of road race watts links are laid horizontal under the housing.

The center distance doesn't matter between the side links, beside being parallel (static pos) and equal length.
The issue becomes the strength of the center bearing and mounting.

Placement of the center bearing (height) is also important to roll center and thus roll axis.

J

good advise.... when you move the center up and down, it should not move side to side